Once More Into The Breach
by RiverSong DreamShadow
Summary: Crossover with Valdemar. Abused and Neglected by the Dursleys, Harry prays for nothing more than a friend. Someone hears his prayers, and answers them... but not in the way he expected...
1. Prologue

This is a new story that came to mind while I was editing my other story, 'No Longer Alone'. It will hopefully be updated pretty often, but I can't make promises. It is a FanFiction, so I don't own anything. Also, like NLA, this is a Crossover with Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar universe.

**Once More Into The Breach**

**Prologue**

_Perhaps, to complete the set, I should see if any of My Children would become as you. What think you, should there be sable Companions to match the silver?_

_(OathBreakers, page 182)_

The Lady could not get Her own words out of Her mind… _sable Companions_… _to match the silver?_

It was an excellent idea… and She knew whom She would send the First to… His prayers had reached Her, and She pitied him. There was much to do… She summoned Her Hands, and swiftly, silently, they answered Her call.

"My Children, you may remember that some time ago, I began toying with the idea of creating sable versions of Valdemar's Companions." Several of those who had- in life- been Kal'enedral nodded. " If I did such a thing, would any of you be willing? I would not do this without the agreement of the ones who will leave. Are you willing?"

As She expected, each came to his or her own decision quickly. A leshya'kal'enedral quickly stepped forward as spokesperson. "Star-Eyed, if this is Your Will, we are Your Hands."

She nodded, and spoke again. "Then one of you must be the First. Who shall go to the One I Have Chosen?"

A different leshya'kal'enedral stepped forward this time, and the Lady could not have been more pleased. In life, Tarma shena Tale'sedrin had been one of her most able hands, and had loved children more than life itself. She would be perfect.

"You know my heart, Lady. If it is Your Will, I will go." Tarma said as she stepped forward.

"This is My Will. You may choose a new name for yourself if you desire, and you may always seek the MoonPaths when in need. _Zhai'helleva, jel'enedra."_

At this, the Lady made a gesture with her hand, and Tarma's form blurred as she began to glow with a dark light. Her body twisted into that of a beautiful black mare. One thing, however, did not change. Her eyes were still as before; that of a starry night sky…clear and cold.

_:I thank you for this gift, Lady. I will call myself Tarlna, as is befitting, and I will teach Your Favored One all that I can. This I swear. Zhai'helleva.:_

And with this, she faded out of sight, leaving behind nothing more than her words echoing through the minds of her fellows.

**End Chapter.**

I put up a notice in my other story that I need a Beta, and that is still true, but let me be a little more specific… Anyone who is my Beta will:

1. Need to know both Fandoms very well, and be able to correctly answer three of the five questions I send them… These will probably be on the Valdemar universe, because I'm not very worried about Harry Potter…

And

2. Be able to take a chapter (or more than one) and be able to edit it and have it back to me within a week, preferably less, with any additional comments or suggestions on my work.

I am a very picky person… actually, no I'm not, but I take my writing seriously. I want it to be the best it can be, and I hope that is what any good Beta wants, too.

E-mail me, or leave your email address in your review if you're interested.

God Bless!

RiverSong DreamShadow


	2. Meet the Dursleys

Disclaimer: I own nothing other than… well, the plot, and Jays who you'll meet later. Oh! And the idea of certain people in certain positions in certain relationships. Everything else belongs to JK Rowling and Mercedes Lackey.

I'm uploading this chapter on Mother's Day in honor of my Mother, a woman who is very close to my heart indeed.

**Chapter One**

**Meet the Dursleys**

It was a dark and stormy night, with the wind howling down the lane, and the thunder shaking the very foundations of the houses. But the wind was not the only howler in Number 4 Privet Drive. A very young child- he appeared to be around three years old, but wa in actuality, five- was shaken awake from a recurring nightmare and began to cry, his sobs drifting from his bedroom…er, cupboard under the stairs…upstairs to the master bedroom of the house. Awakened by the 'noise,' Vernon Dursley pounded down the stairs, frightening the child into greater hysterics.

"Shut up, Freak!" He shouted as he crouched into the now-unlocked cupboard. "What if the neighbors hear you? What then? They'll take you away because you're so loud and stick you in the nastiest possible orphanage, because you're a Freak. We took you in from the goodness of our hearts, and you owe us a whole lot! Understand, Freak?"

The little boy- by now curled into a fetal position- nodded and whimpered, "Yes, sir, Uncle Vernon sir. It won't happen again sir. I'm very sorry, sir." It came out automatically, as if he had recited those words many times before.

Vernon reached into the cupboard and grabbed the boy's arm to pull him out. "Even if you are sorry," he said, "that doesn't excuse you from" a malicious grin stretched across his face as he paused "your punishment." The poor child flinched dramatically, and as lightning flashed, you could see bruises ad cuts, and even old scars that littered his body. His shirtless chest seemed to have taken the brunt of the obvious beatings, and as Vernon walked upstairs, you could hear the child whimper, "No, not again… Please, someone, help me! If anyone can hear me, please, send me someone to help me. I know I'm a bad Freak, and I don't deserve any help, but please…"

He stopped as Vernon came downstairs with a worn leather belt in his hand, clearly intending violence. "Come on, Freak, into the kitchen with you. Don't want to stain the carpet, now, do we?" With that, he shoved the boy forcefully onto the tile, and raised his hand, and as he brought the belt down with a _crack_ on the boy's chin, nothing escaped from the child's mouth but a tiny yelp.

This continued for several minutes, leaving welts on the child's back and chest. Vernon was careful to avoid the child's face and hands. After all, the boy had school tomorrow. Vernon put the belt on the counter as he began to smack the child to revive him. "Now, Freak, remember this lesson. If you forget, the results won't be as nice. Now go to sleep, and stay _QUIET_."

The man went upstairs after shoving the child back into the cupboard and locking it. Little did little Harry Potter know that his prayers had indeed reached the ears of one kind Goddess.

**End Chapter**

Response to Reviews 

_ZergMaster-_ Thank you for the offer. The questions are below… You can answer in a review. These questions will stand for anyone who wants to Beta for me.

Talia???Queen 's Queen's Own, was Chosen by the Companion ?after she ran away from her ?family.

Weaponsmaster Dethor took on ?as his Second after the Companion ?rescued him from the Karsite Sunpriests.

? and ?were she'enedra, and restored the Kingdom of Rethwellan to ?in the book, 'OathBreakers'.

Kerowyn was trained in her MindMagic by ?the ?in 'By the Sword. Her grandmother gave her the magic sword ?to help her.

Darian Firkin k'Valdemar k'Vala married ?after he rescued his ?in the book OwlKnight.

Author's Note 

_I am sorry for the long wait… I've been sick this past week, and I literally could not get out of bed. I crave indulgence (__) for my sloth… Please don't kill me! The next chapter will probably also take a while because of Final Exams, and a Production I have to play in… I'll do my best, but I can't promise much…_


	3. A Rescue Takes Place

_Once again, I apologize for the delay. As I suspected, the Homework load for the finals was killer. See the Review Responses for Beta info._

_**Once More Into the Breach**_

**Chapter Two**

_A Rescue_

As Tarlna journeyed, she wondered about herself- especially her new body. She'd heard of the Valdemaran Companions, and she seemed to have similar abilities. As she ran as fast as only a Companion should be able to, she realized that it was because her body was unconsciously drawing from a ley-line. Her keen ears caught the sound of bells- not really chiming, but in a deeper pitch. She couldn't pinpoint where she'd heard the sound before, and before she could, she had reached her destination.

As she approached the house, her body- again without her foreknowledge- sort of melted itself into shadow. When she moved, she was silent, and for this she was glad. It had irked her to know her feet- hooves, she corrected herself- would always give her away long before she was seen.

Tarlna ghosted inside, and was drawn to a small door by the sound of whimpering… a boy-child, her new senses informed her. She looked at the door, unable to open it without destroying it. She wished she was a smaller animal- a _kyree_ maybe, with more dexterous paws. And then she was.

Tarlna first noticed that she was shrinking, then she felt her muscles and bones readjust, and finally her short, fine hair grow longer and coarser. The change was almost over before she really thought about it, it was that quick. She looked down, and sure enough, she possessed paws. _This is an interesting development…_ she thought. _I don't know if anything else will surprise me tonight… _How wrong she was…

As she wrestled with the lock on the door- a simple sliding bolt- she noticed an odd odor coming from the closet, or cupboard, or whatever it was. It took her a moment to place, but when she did, she growled. She stopped herself. _Did I just growl? I didn't even notice… _Another sound caught her attention.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Vernon! I'll be quieter… I promise!" Again she growled, this time deliberately. _How dare he! Whoever this human is to harm a defenseless child! My Child! He can't even be called human… Whoever he is, he's a monster! Even lower than animals… they don't harm their children!_

She finally got the door opened, and padded into the dark, dank space beneath the stairs.

Little Harry woke from another nightmare to the sound of someone struggling with the lock on his cupboard. Twice in one night! He whimpered out his apology, hoping it wouldn't make Uncle Vernon angrier.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Vernon! I'll be quieter… I promise!" He thought he heard an animal growl, but it was probably just Uncle Vernon… The door opened, and he flinched out of habit into his corner. He jumped when something wet and cold nudged his arm, and he opened his eyes to see a gigantic wolf looking down at him. If he had been any other child, he would have screamed, but silence had been beaten into him for as long as he could remember.

_:Get on my back, my child, and I will carry you to safety. We shall leave this miserable mudpit far behind us as we journey to our new home. Come, child…:_ Tarlna coaxed as gently as possible, and slowly the child uncurled and looked at her.

"Are you really going to take me away, Lady?" He asked, trembling as if expecting a beating for asking questions. Actually, Tarlna angrily mused, he probably was. She answered him gently, though, very careful not to let her anger become visible.

_:Yes, Child. Get on my back, and we will go.:_ Harry did as he was bid, and soon, they were galloping off into the distance to the place where Tarlna had entered this world. The Gate was still standing- barely.

Tarlna quickly spoke to her charge. _:Child, this may be a little… disorienting. Don't worry, I'll be with you.:_ Harry nodded, and together they stepped into the Gate, into a new world where neither knew exactly what was in store for them.

**End Chapter **

**A big thanks to everyone who reviewed, and to so it is written, Jewelle2, and silvrfoxfire for offering to beta for me. I'll be getting back to you on my decision soon. Thanks for all the support, and sorry for the lateness of the chapter. Since school is finally out, I should be able to update more often. **

**God Bless! **

**RiverSong DreamShadow **


	4. Finally On The Plains

_Last Time:_

_:Yes, Child. Get on my back, and we will go.: Harry did as he was bid, and soon, they were galloping off into the distance to the place where Tarlna had entered this world. The Gate was still standing, barely._

_Tarlna quickly spoke to her charge. :Child, this may be a little… disorienting. Don't worry, I'll be with you.: Harry nodded, and together they stepped into the Gate, into a new world where neither knew exactly what was in store for them._

**Chapter Three**

As Tarlna stepped through the Gate onto firm soil, she noticed immediately that her charge had fallen unconscious. Gate travel often had that effect upon the inexperienced. It had much the same whirling, turning, stomach-churning feel as Floo travel.

_Floo? And what in the name of the Star-Eyed is that?_ She looked at her bonded, her Chosen, and grinned a (pardon the pun) wolfish grin. It seemed she knew things from their bond that he was not even aware that he knew. _This bond could definitely be useful._

Tarlna slowly lowered herself to the ground, and looked at the night sky, dotted with stars. _Thank you, Star-Eyed, for a safe journey._

She shifted her weight, and her Chosen fell limply to the ground. She shifted back into her horse form, and attempted to stand, but she could not. Her magical core was nearly empty – she had used many magics this night.

As she rested, she watched her child sleep fitfully. He remained silent, and bruises attested to many lessons on that subject, but he still tossed a little, and turned over in his sleep. His nightmare began to worsen steadily, she noted, and when tears began to leak out of his eyes, she resolved to waken him.

Before she had made a move, he gasped and opened his eyes. He spotted her and moved to lean against her. She offered what comfort she could by her presence, and slowly, they both drifted off into sleep.

**(Scene Break)**

It was morning before either awoke again. Upon waking, Tarlna found that she had subconsciously tapped into a nearby ley-line and recharged her power. With that boost, she and Harry could reach the Dhorisha Plains by mid-afternoon. She set about waking him up.

Harry woke with a horsey nose in his face, and let out something which was either a very short scream or a prolonged yelp of surprise. The horse stepped back in surprise of its own, and spoke to him. _:Sorry, Little One. But we need to get moving.:_

"Okay." So when the horse kneeled, Harry mounted, and off they went.

Around noon, Tarlna heard a growl, like a prowling monster hunting for a large meal. She broke into a canter for a few moments, before realizing the 'monster' was really Harry's stomach!

_Poor child, he hasn't eaten since last night – and not much then,_ she noticed, gently touching Harry's mind to find the proper memories. She stopped for a few minutes near a stream to show Harry a few edible plants.

_:Cattail roots, Little One. And there, see the nuts? They fell from that tree. Look at its bark and learn it, so you'll know it again. This bush too – its berries are very good.:_

"D'you want some, then?" Harry asked, looking at her with a trace of worry in his face.

_:I can eat grass. You cannot. You must eat what is right for you.: _

Harry relaxed and tried one of the berries. "You were right. They are good." He looked at her sidelong. "Please have some?"

_:If you insist.:_ Tarlna gently drew the berries off the boy's palm with her lips.

Harry smiled. "I never had anybody to share with before," he said shyly. "Not when I wanted to, I mean."

Tarlna had no trouble interpreting that, not with Harry practically shouting in her mental "ear". _My cousin always took everything of mine that he wanted, and some things he didn't, just because they were mine and I'd miss them. _

_:You will never need to worry about that again:_ she told him. _:Stretch your legs a little, and then we will be going.:_

True to Tarlna's prediction, they reached the Plains around mid-afternoon, only a candlemark or so after their rest stop. Kata'shin'a'in, the only city built by the Shin'a'in, was visible in the distance.

Kata'shin'a'in meant literally "City of the People", and was where the Shin'a'in kept their most important possessions- their History Tapestries. It was also where those sworn to the Crone dwelled; at least, those who were not Shamans, Healers, or Chieftains.

_:Childing, when we get to the City, I'll take you to someone trustworthy. You tell them that you're looking for Tale'sedrin. They'll be able to direct usto the Clan's last known campsite.:_ Tarlna knew exactly where to take Harry. She just hoped Kitani still lived in the same place as when they last met.

**Flashback**

_Tarma continued to walk through dimly lit passages of a supposedly abandoned Keep, following her ears to the faint sound of a child's sobs. She had left Jedrak and a pregnant Kethry with Liha'irden and gone in search of the child who haunted her dreams nightly. The visions were Goddess-sent, she was sure, and she had finally found the child. _

_The weeping grew louder. Tarma was close. She turned a corner, and there the child was: a little girl, crying over a necklace. The jewelry was unusual; two golden rings were strung on a fine chain, each ringwith a small stone set in them. Tarma approached, and knelt to face the girl face-to-face._

"_What's wrong, child? Why do you weep?" The child jumped at the harsh voice, but upon seeing Tarma's kind, concerned face, threw herself at the Kal'enedral. Her tears soon soaked through Tarma's dark garments, but after a short while, she calmed._

"_I'm Kitani. And Mama and Daddy gave this to me and told me to run. Then the bad men came, and hurted Mama and Daddy. And no one came to get me." She buried her face in her hands._

_Tarma sighed, calming her anger with the ease of long practice. The girl's parents were beyond help. Her duty now was to the child. _Another orphan for Tale'sedrin, I think...

"_Little One, do you want to come to my home? It's different from here, but you may like it."_

_Kitani lifted her head, tears still in her eyes but a small smile on her face, and nodded._

**End Flashback**

Kitani had quickly grown accustomed to the Shin'a'in ways. After being injured in an accident, she had moved to Kata'shin'a'in to represent the Clan at the annual Horse Fair. She had always been like a daughter to Tarma. Although now she had daughters of her own, and granddaughters, she still remained very valuable to the Clan.

They soon arrived at her home, and one of her granddaughters answered their call. "Forgive me, but Grandmother is ill. I should be able to help you in her stead. What is it you need, little one?"

Harry asked for the information about Tale'sedrin, and was met with an incredulous stare. "Why would a little like you need to go to Tale'sedrin? Where are your guardians?"

Harry answered as clearly as he could, but meeting such resistance was unexpected, and the small-for-his-age five year old still stuttered despite all his uncle's attempts to beat it out of him. "I-I-I was t-t-told to ask here. T-t-t-tarlna said so."

She looked down at him, not unkindly, and asked, "Who's Tarlna, child?"

Harry quickly led her outside, and introduced her to Tarlna. The granddaughter, a true child of the Plains, was no fool. Seeing the sable coat and starry eyes indicative of the Goddess's avatars, she knew the course of action she must take.

She would do more than give the child a map. She would accompany him herself.

**End Chapter**

I know, I know... you all want me to work of Not One But Two... Chapter Eleven should be up in a few days. God Bless, Everyone!

RiverSong DreamShadow


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